QRC3288

For confidentiality reasons, I cannot post pictures or much specifics. A new test run will be happening on select flights begins ex-HKG to JFK next week.

Among changes:
*Candles (presumably electric) will be served on J class trays, and be collectable souveniers for pax.
*A soup bowl will be filled in the galley from a thermos and presented on the tray as an appetizer. This is not a supper meal service, but rather as part of a full dinner.
*Changes coming to the bread, butter and salad selections and plating.
*New menu cards and wine lists
*Other changes
*I have not seen details of any main course changes, and whether or not that will be affected.

From what I can tell, there are significant changes to this select service during the nuts, drinks, appetizer part of the meal, as well as general presentation changes and service flows. Also from what I can tell this is only a test run for now.

Whilst I cannot include more details, I am certain others who are close to CX will be seeing / have already seen some of these changes and can post in due course.

CX846 on Monday (Nov 9) will be the first AFAIK to have this.

sxc

Gimmicky candles??? This will grow tired quickly and makes me think of a bad 80s restaurant. Please put the 50c into better food.

QRC3288

*Also there will be some type of ordering option beginning in J class next year. Not totally sure on details but my impression was either a.) something like SQ's BTC, or b.) you can order from another cabin. I didn't get this detail entirely straight.

sxc

I wonder if it's book the cook with extra options or more like QF/BA just ensuring your choice. I've never had a problem with my choice on CX but maybe they will start reducing the number of meals loaded if this pre order comes in.

QRC3288

My overall impression from what everything I've seen so far is this is towards improvement in the J class cabin catering (notwithstanding sxc's excellent point above). I have personally seen details regarding my first post (mainly regarding presentation, drinks service, nuts service, appetizer service, etc.), but my second one about the main course I am less sure on how it will be implemented. I am not sure if on CX846 on Monday there will be any changes or not to the main course.

Regardless, frequent CX pax on CX846 Monday will be in for a fun flight, because the first meal service sounds pretty different than what you're used to. No matter what there will be noticeable changes from the usual J service flow.

It certainly looks positive to me (at least, up to the main course). Of course it hasn't been tried in reality yet with real live paying passengers. We will know soon enough in 2 days when pax reviews start coming in as to how the rubber meets the road.

IF this is an improvement, and doesn't get panned as cost cutting once actual passengers can see reality at 31,000 feet, it makes sense to me with all the changes CX is going through with. J class catering is an area they've fallen behind their peers and there's a lot of good J choices out there. If CX wants to insist on loyalty starting at J class they'll need to compete in J class with the ever-improving competition. This effort would seem to make sense to me. Anyway I'm really looking forward to someone actually being a passenger next week.

QRC3288

*Sauternes replacing J class port wine for a 3 month trial

G-CIVC

sounds exciting and RIP to the extremely short lived menu used at the moment??

Will it be rolled out ex-US as well? Hopefully can get a try on this one on my flight home for christmas break!

KACommuter

If that's the case, let's hope reducing wastage = more $ per meal? I voted with my feet at the start of this year and have been flying multiple other airlines in OW and *A in J. So far AA, JL, NH, QR and SQ are all comfortably ahead of CX in the catering department, with QR leading the pack. BA is marginally ahead due to much better booze. No one is behind! I've booked MH for a trip early next year as the routing makes sense, but it could have been CX.

I am sure most customers do not pick an airline because of food. But the combination of appalling catering combined with the steady salami-like erosion of everything has tipped me over. I now treat CX's product as a commodity and shop at all other airlines.

And to illustrate the depths I am plumbing, I am likely to be on UA in a couple of weeks thanks to my recent pleasant experience with AA. This would be unthinkable just 3 years ago.

percysmith

Mrs Percysmith will be most delighted.

But they have to be kidding about the candles...

QRC3288

For the menus, I did a double take myself given how recently this was changed. I've seen a picture of these new-new ones and they are indeed different than the regular "new" ones that started circulating a few months ago and are ubiquitous in J class now. The new new ones are more like menu cards than booklets.

While i am certain about it rolling out on CX846, I am not sure if there will be any change to CX845 (or any of the other ex-US flights). My GUESS is no, because there are a lot of catering and product changes to the entire meal service that presumably are only being tested and perhaps on a limited basis. So I think that would be CX Catering Services only. I also am not privvy to whether or not this is going to other USA destinations or just CX846 for the time being, and when it will be rolled out further.

QRC3288

Ha it's serious. Passengers will be asked during collection if they'd like to keep as a souvenir.

I'll withhold judgement until it starts flying in a few days, but my initial impression is certainly positive. It *appears* on the surface to be a genuine attempt at upgrading the J meal service. Candles are only one small detail, but there are changes to the whole service.

77W_12A

I believe TK also has these candles onboard, but they collect them.

percysmith

I made an honest attempt to do so this year. Even tho I am restrained by being limited to OW airlines cos that's what my miles are and also by how much leave am I allowed to use.

QF BNE-HKG: paid US$120 x 2 to cancel and reissue a BNE-(QF)SYD-(CX)HKG into this. Got the business suite A330 so it was worth it. Everything good *except* the food. Was very anticipating the Neil Perry menu, but when the missus actually got the fish and I got my lamb, there were frowns all around. It ended up being the only black mark to a flight which QF either matched or exceeded CX's standards.

QR DOH-EZE: Took nights to book and another fortnight to rebook after QR snatched back my original seats. But after I was rebooked I ended up with an 18-hour daytime flight (technical stop GRU). First time and I think the only time I will be allowed to eat four meals on the same plane. Very good quality, plus the added luxury of dining on demand in J and having six wines to sample, tho I got some dishes served cold.

BA EZE-LHR: My disappointment with the food is just about as much as my disappointment with the yin-yang CW seat. Food was just on par with CX, and the wines were not that great (enjoyed QR's more). Is it something with my crew (EZE's not mixed fleet though right?), my plane (772) or my route (ex-EZE). The only massive saving grace for BA was T5 Arrivals Lounge, but other than that I really won't fly them again - definitely not when CX is an option.

CX 645 and 252: Food on CX645 is an absolute joke - I can't finish it even tho I'm hungry - everything said about the crappy service on this route is right. But OTOH the ex-LHR catering on CX252 is the best catering I've had on a CX plane flying J - lamb cooked like a fillet steak - left me wondering is CX spending extra on this route because it's lucrative and skimping on Doha cos it's a loser.

Unfortunately I go almost completely CX for next year's hols. I tried to add JL NRT-YVR but given they only have SS6 seats not SS8 I decided the missus's wrath from not being able to lie flat was not worth trying another airline's food. I ended up with seats on the blasted CX888/889.

ermen

that is great news if they can replicate across all flights (get rid of the port and replace with sauternes)
do people still drink port these days?

HKGglobaltrotter

I have been told it will only be on trial for 6 weeks on the following flights:

CX846/831/253/731 (JFK/LHR/DXB)